Is Myopia In Kids Preventable? (Part 2/2)

Can You Prevent Myopia In Kids?
Parents guilty of passing on the myopia genes should not fret since they can still play a role in controlling their children’s myopia

By Jessie Kok | Reprinted with permission from Today’s Parents

Click here to read Part 1 of this story

Dr Gerard Chuah, senior eye surgeon at Total Eyecare Centre (Camden Medical Centre), and Dr Chew Wai Kwong, chief optometrist at Capitol Optical, answer frequently asked questions about myopia:


What exactly changes in the eyeball that causes myopia?
“Unlike normal children or adults, highly myopic people have elongated eyeballs which means the tissue at the back of their eyes is stretched,” says Chew. “Tissues like the retina, when highly stretched, become weaker and more vulnerable to retinal tear, resulting in higher risk of developing glaucoma and macular degeneration.”


Is it true that leaving the light on at night for babies may predispose them to myopia?
It is common for parents to leave a light on for babies while they sleep. While recent studies in America show that leaving a light on might lead to the development of myopia, more studies would need to be done to show conclusive evidence.


Are all cases of myopia irreverisble?
General cases of myopia are irreversible. However, another type of myopia – pseudomyopia – which occurs when there is excessive spasm of the focusing muscles in the eyes and more commonly seen in young children is reversible.


How is pseudomyopia treated?
When young children first visit an optometrist cycloplegic refraction is routinely done to eliminate pseudomyopia. Optometrists also rely on objective methods of retinoscopy and fogging to check on these cases.


How can eye drops assist in cases of myopia?
Currently, Atropine 1 percent eyedrops are used in some hospitals and clinics as a tool to address myopia progression. The Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) has ongoing studies to assess the role of the drops. There are promising preliminary results that show Atropine may help to retard the progression of myopia but more overseas and local studies are required for conclusive results.


Can certain types of food or supplements boost vision?
According to Dr Chuah, there is no conclusive evidence in studies that show consuming more vitamins and minerals can help to improve or control myopia, unless the child is severely malnourished. It is more important to get a child to relax her eye muscles by looking at faraway objects. “It’s got nothing to do with the colour of the object but more about letting the eye muscles rest after doing near-work,” he says.

Dr Chuah also highlights the efforts by the Ministry of Health in their myopia control programme that teaches students good eyecare habits such as taking breaks after 45 minutes of near-work and simple eye exercises.


A beneficiary of this programme is Kevan, who has successfully helped to control his children’s myopia. Now grown up and aged 11 and 13 respectively, Sarah and Sean have managed to control their myopia over the years through sporadic rests in between studying, and doing simple eye exercises as instructed by their father.


While Kevan does not expect complete recovery in his children, the improvement and control of his children’s myopia that gives him a sense of satisfaction.

“I know we cannot control hereditary symptoms,” he says. “But every parent can play a part when it comes to environmental factors to ensure the best management of childhood myopia.”

Source: Is Myopia In Kids Preventable? (Part 2/2)